Coley and chorizo croquetas

The idea for these came from some chorizo and cod fishcakes I bought out a few weeks ago. They weren’t very good but I knew there was something in there. They ended up exceeding my expectations. White fish and salty, smoky chorizo go really well together and in these crispy crumbed croquettes they are perfect companions.

I had bought a whole side of coley at a really good price. I’d used the large fillets to make fish and chips and kept the off-cuts in the freezer. They were just right for this recipe.

Make a roux with the 1/2 tbsp of flour and butter, add the milk and thicken to make a white sauce then stir in parsley and season. Leave to stand.

Skin the chorizo and chop into approximately 1/2 cm pieces. Place in a frying pan over a medium heat and allow to cook off slowly. Try not to let any burn, just gently colour.

Peel and chop the potatoes and boil until soft. Mash.

Poach the fish for about 2–3 minutes in water until just cooked. Flake into the mashed potatoes. Stir in the cooked chorizo and parsley sauce and mix well together. Taste and season as necessary.

Form into croquetas, lay out on an oiled tray or plate and when cool place in the freezer or fridge to chill for about 10–20 minutes.

Take them out of the freezer, roll in flour, dip in egg wash then roll in breadcrumbs. Fry them in oil for about 5–10 minutes until golden all over and hot all the way through (check with a skewer). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve them while they’re still hot.

An excellent accompaniment is a good garlicky alioli and some steamed sprouting broccoli dressed with olive oil and sea salt flakes.